Did You Know?

The Route 66 Connection

You’re probably familiar with the Phillips 66 brand and have most likely filled your tank at a Phillips 66 gas station at some point, but you might not know about the connection between Phillips 66 and Route 66.

Back in 1917, brothers Lee Eldas Phillips and Frank Phillips of Bartlesville, Oklahoma founded the Phillips Petroleum Company. Their fledgling company concentrated their business efforts in Oklahoma and Kansas. The company specialized in extracting liquids from natural gas and by 1925 was the nation’s largest producer of natural gas liquids. Their gasoline product was undergoing testing to arrive at the best formula for the growing American automobile market.

This testing was being done on public roadways and the company’s location made Route 66 a natural choice as a testing route. In 1927 during testing of their gasoline, their test car reached a speed of 66 miles per hour. The company decided to name their new gasoline Phillips 66. They even incorporated the Route 66 highway sign in their logo.

By 1967, Phillips 66 had gas stations in all 50 states. They were only the second company to claim this mark (Texaco was 1st).